God Sends Us to Earth as a Member of a Family

Our Father in Heaven has a plan for us, and sending us to earth as members of a family is part of that plan. Adam and Eve were the first family on earth; our Heavenly Father brought them together in marriage and commanded them to have children (see Genesis 1:28). God wants His spirit children to receive a physical body. When parents bring children into this world, they are helping our Heavenly Father carry out His plan of salvation. They welcome into their family each new child as a child of God.

Our Heavenly Father knew that being a member of a family provides each of us the best opportunity to be loved and cared for while on earth. Families work together to learn self-control, sacrifice, loyalty, and the value of work. They also strive to learn to love, to share, and to serve one another (see Mosiah 4:14–15). Children learn to show love for their parents, to be obedient, and to try to live the kind of life that will bring honor to their family name.

As family members give encouragement and praise to one another, feelings of confidence and love grow. Successful families show hope and persistence in sustaining each family member in individual needs and in helping each other learn and work together in love. Their goal is to become a joyful, eternal family unit.

These are some activities that will help us have happy, successful families:

Pray together as husband and wife.
Have family prayer every morning and night (see 3 Nephi 18:21).
Attend Church meetings each Sunday (see D&C 59:9–10).
Teach children the gospel in weekly family home evenings.
Study the scriptures regularly as a family.
Learn to be kind, patient, and charitable (see Moroni 7:45–48).
Do things together as a family, such as eating dinner, working together, going on outings, and participating in decision making.

Photo illustrations by David Stoker, Craig Dimond, John Luke, Matthew Reier, Robert Casey, and Frank Helmrich